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The Odyssey and Fate

            
             When we look at Greek Mythology we often run into the gods of that era. Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story. (Maguire-in conversation) Fate has a place in the Greek world but its place is not the same as it is in other scenarios or worlds. (Sparknotes) It is important to understand the word before we discuss it. Fate as far as Greek mythology goes is not just fate. By most standards fate means that things occur for an unknown reason that no one has any control over. (Munro) However, in the world of Greek Mythology fate does not just happen. The gods engineer fate and they interfere to make things happen that might not otherwise have happened. Since the players do not always know of the gods" involvement, things may actually appear to be fate but in reality be engineered happenings. Free will on the other hand is not engineered. It speaks to the concept of having full authority over one's aspirations and ultimate direction. The key there is "ultimate."(in conversation) The gods can make up the plan and choose the path, but the people had to walk it. Therefore, fate and free will are not mutually exclusive and they both go on throughout The Odyssey. In The Odyssey life is one's own responsibility; instead of leaving all things up to fate, the characters had a significant influence upon his or her own existence. (Sparknotes).
             In The Odyssey the gods are responsible for controlling many aspects of where the story goes, but the people still have to choose to go. The gods in The Odyssey are who held Odysseus captive for over eight years. They were responsible for his capture in the first place and then refused to let him go for almost a decade. When they finally decided he should be allowed to find his way home they made it known to his captor Kalypso.


Essays Related to The Odyssey and Fate

1. Goddesses In The Odyssey

... , helping Odysseus in one way or the other, corresponding with his needs at that point in the voyage. Goddesses have been a constant in Greek literature and art, assisting in the essence of Greek culture. The Odyssey mentions many gods and goddesses, all of whom are involved with Odysseus" journey. The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. From this we can ... infer the importance the divine play on mortal lives, namely ... ...

  • Word Count: 1294
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Goddesses in the Odyssey

... , helping Odysseus in one way or the other, corresponding with his needs at that point in the voyage. Goddesses have been a constant in Greek literature and art, assisting in the essence of Greek culture. The Odyssey mentions many gods and goddesses, all of whom are involved with Odysseus" journey. The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. From this we can ... infer the importance the divine play on mortal lives, namely ... ...

  • Word Count: 1304
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Fate in the Odyssey

According to The Odyssey how significant is the role that the gods play in the fate of the mortals? How much of a role do we play? Can a god change a human's destiny and vice versa? Fate is a concept that has ruled many civilizations. The belief in destiny and the higher powers are what drive the human race to their full potential. In the epic The Odyssey, they bend their lives to the rule of fate. We are shown both examples ... of how the humans regard the gods, and how the gods regard the humans. It is apparent, however, that these two ... ...

  • Word Count: 1153
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Religion and Death in Homers Odyssey

... Greeks. Afterlife, is a belief where the comparisons among religions become extremely close. The Greek beliefs of gods and death are different from the modern day beliefs of other religions such as Judaism and Ancient Egyptian beliefs. For example, The Odyssey begins with a scene containing a conversation among the gods. The goddess Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, is discussing the matter of Odysseus with Zeus, the head god and god of sky (Homer 10 ... ). Of course these are not the only Greek gods and goddesses. Other examples of Greek gods and goddesses are Apollo, god of music, poe...

  • Word Count: 840
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

5. A Hero's Fate

... of culture such as bravery and never giving up. In The Odyssey, he showed that he was smarter and also stronger than most men. He possessed the advantage of having a goddess's help and the disadvantage of a god's anger towards him. Odysseus displayed the conventions of the epic hero through his decisions, his actions, and his thoughts. Odysseus's destiny was a significant one. His fate was to lead the Greek warriors to victory against ... the Trojans. Everyone's life purpose is chosen ... ...

  • Word Count: 2103
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Odyssey

... can determine whether or not a ship sinks or a baby dies. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, played a major role in the Greeks" lives. Teiresias, a blind prophet, also played a major role to fate. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus's fate was largely controlled by Athena, Teiresias, Circe, Aeolus, Poseidon, and Zeus. Athena was Odysseus's primary advocate and was the reason Odysseus eventually made it home. Firstly, Athena guided Odysseus to ... all significant in their own way, and without one of them, Odysseus would have been lost forever. Odysseus's voyage was made possible for the ...

  • Word Count: 504
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Comparitive of Odyssey, and Iliad

... this, he finds many homes along the way until he is compelled by his fate to move on. It is ironic that Aeneas, who has no ambition, has a destiny to become great while Odysseus does not. There are also many similarities between the three works. With the exception of the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Aeneid both describe the trials of a heroic figure who is the ideal representative of a particular culture ... and time period. Yet, Achilles/ Odysseus and Aeneas are unlike one ... ...

  • Word Count: 1098
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Odysseus - Learning from the Gods

... needs in order to return home. Athena is concerned about Odysseuss fate and believes he deserves a heroic nostos, or homecoming, as another chance to revive Ithaca after the relapse from the Trojan War. At many times, though, many of the gods in The Odyssey would work to help Odysseus, but Athena seemed to be the most influential and helpful throughout his journey. Athena often disguised herself to aid Odysseus ... for his final trials in Ithaca. The role of gods in The Odyssey resembles strength; they are dominant, existing forces that help shape the entire course of Odysseus fate. Hom...

  • Word Count: 1422
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Odyssey Tragedy - The Death of Agamemnon

... or protagonist as well as many deaths including the innocent. It also involves many high ranking characters as well as taking place in an open and public setting. Although this is a short story that is only told verbally to Telemachus, it resonates powerfully to the overall theme of the poem, The Odyssey, about fate, betrayal and loyalty. The moral of the story is also a great contrast to that ... of Odysseus and his own situation with his own wife Penelope. Because the story that is told to Telemachus from ... Menelaus is very broad and short lasting only a couple lines, I will be add...

  • Word Count: 1403
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

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